Mixtape Final Project

Mixtape Final Submission

Overview Each song on this mixtape, in some shape or form, exemplifies the counterculture of the

1960s and early 1970s, particularly with political and societal unrest, but also invokes debates that remain relevant and noteworthy in modern times. More specifically, this can be illustrated in protest songs about opposition to the war in Vietnam, the rising tensions regarding race relations in the United States with the African American civil rights movement, general calls for freedom and expressionism, and the overall stray from tradition and standard musical choices with the promotion of experimentation, whether it be through lyrics, instrumentation, or message. The genres covered in this mixtape are diverse as the counterculture of this era was not solely a singular idea and instead encompassed many artistic concepts and beliefs; the main

criteria for a song's entry on this list is its ability to demonstrate a political or societal stance on an issue relevant to the time.

"Fortunate Son" ? Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1969 song "Fortunate Son" from the studio album Willy and the Poor Boys is a commentary on the Vietnam War and circumstances surrounding the draft for this controversial American conflict. The lyrics speak of how the draft was seemingly aimed at particular unfortunate or poor young men, while it left the elite, who were also the most adamant supporters of the Vietnam War, untouched. Since its release, CCR's front man, John Fogerty, has spoken on the song in question and confirmed its place in the 1960s counterculture movement. In a Rolling Stone interview, Fogerty said the following, "Julie Nixon was hanging around with David Eisenhower and you just had the feeling that none of these people were going to be too involved with the war," ("Fortunate Son: Creedence Clearwater Revival") only further emphasizing his plea that the rich were orchestrating the war and the draft to suit their own needs, ultimately at the cost of others. The song's lyrics depict a young man who is born into an average and unprivileged life; one where he must fight for his country while others, born into wealth, with advantages from the beginning of their lives, are excused from the call of duty yet loudly vocalize their support for the war. The song and its straightforward lyrics evoke a sense of empathy in listeners for all veterans who served in Vietnam, especially those who had little choice and were not in support of the conflict. Ironically, it is this very sense of empathy that was lacking at the time of its release in the late 1960s, at least among the upper class supporters of the war, and was part of what inspired the

song. Furthermore, it is the folk and rock roots that CCR channels with their guitar-based anthem that allow this song to be so relatable to the average young person in the 1960s.

"Ohio" ? Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

This 1971 song from Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's album, Four Way Street explicitly comments on the 1970 Kent State shootings, as referenced by the first few lines of the song, "Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio." The shootings resulted from National Guardsmen firing sixty one to sixty seven rounds into a crowd of Kent State students, leading an anti-war protest in response to Richard Nixon's announcement just days earlier that the United States would invade Cambodia. Four students were killed, and again, made very clear even by the opening lyrics, the content of the song "Ohio" very closely reflects the historical event that it solemnly recounts. Neil Young wrote the song days after the incident when handed a copy of Life Magazine by bandmate David Crosby that showcased an iconic image captured of the campus, moments after the tragedy (Mastropolo). The song gained attention for its unshielded use of the president's name, direct mention to the shootings, and as a whole, mirrors the fight in which Kent State students stood for--the right to protest, particularly in opposition to the Vietnam and Cambodia conflict. Musically, the song employs the use of simple instrumentation, guitar, vocals, and a rhythm section, to allow a focus on the emotionally charged and somber lyrics. The vocal timber is sharp and cutting, allowing listeners to sense a twinge of pain in the honest words.

"A Change Is Gonna Come" ? Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke's 1964 song, "A Change Is Gonna Come" from the album Ain't That Good News, specifically addresses the African American civil rights movement of the 1960s. Musically, the song implements strings, horns, and timpani, in a more classical music instrumentation arrangement, focusing more on power through the lyrics and these melancholic orchestral sounds rather than experimental methods and techniques. Cooke's emotional ballad expresses the thoughts of many involved in the civil rights movement and describes a sense of hope, mixed with sad realities of the time during which the piece was written. In fact, the song was inspired by one of Cooke's own experiences, where he was turned away from a hotel due to racial prejudice. The result ultimately ended in Cooke, along with several other members of his traveling entourage, being arrested for disorderly conduct ("Sam Cooke and the Song That 'Almost Scared Him'"). The event created anger which Cooke then funneled into this piece, a haunting beacon of optimism for the future. Race relations continue to be an issue within the United States, even today, and many who hope for change still look to this timeless piece.

"Venus in Furs" ? The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground was undoubtedly one of the most exemplary bands of the counterculture era. Many of their songs incorporate components of psychedelic and experimental rock in addition to themes of sexuality, drugs, and death. Needless to say, much of their music was too risqu? and suggestive for mainstream audiences at the time of its release. Their 1967 song "Venus in Furs" from The Velvet Underground and Nico is no exception to this. Upon listening to the lyrics of this particular song, strong sexual themes, particularly

S&M, can be extracted accompanied with atypical distorted strings, creating a rough and jagged timbre, and a simple and slow metered backbeat ("The Velvet Underground and Nico"). This falls very much in accordance with 1960s counterculture ideas of experimentation in regards to music, and on a deeper level, with sexuality and sexual practices.

"The Times They Are a-Changin'" ? Bob Dylan

Largely popularizing American folk music, Bob Dylan gained substantial fame in the 1960s. Though many of his pieces, nearly all in fact, address social and political issues, each forming a protest song in their own right, perhaps none more clearly emphasize the crux of the 1960s counter culture movement more than his 1964 "The Times They Are a-Changin'" from an album of the same name. In this song, Dylan pleads for change and asks "senators, congressmen" to reflect the changing world in their policies as well as "mothers and fathers" to better understand their children and leave their traditions behind. His simple instrumentation and his rough, unpolished vocal timbre leave a stripped and powerful performance that was typical of Dylan, helping him to further emphasize his messages through the use of lyricism. Bob Dylan is quoted as saying the following in response to this particular song, "I wanted to write a big song, with short concise verses that piled up on each other in a hypnotic way. The civil rights movement and the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at that time" (Biograph Liner Notes). This combination of more than one movement further illustrates how Bob Dylan, and this piece in particular, contributed to the 1960s counterculture. (Dominis, Epridge)

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